We live in a technology-centric world where we use technology as an easy method of communication. We never have to look at the other person or worry about stuttering or saying something we will regret. Smartphone addiction can disconnect you from the world and the people around you if you do not get help to disconnect from your phone when it is not necessary to be on it.

Table of Contents

What is Nomophobia, and How Does It Relate To Your Smartphone?

Nomophobia is the fear of being without your phone. When you are on your phone 24/7, social networking, dating apps, texting, and emails become more important than any real-world activities. Being on your phone is easily accessible since a cellphone is weightless and you can bring it anywhere with you. Knowing that you have the power of communication at your fingertips can make it tempting to constantly check.

Smartphone addiction is just as severe as any other addiction as you can feel a rush of dopamine and have your mood altered as a result of your smartphone. It is one thing to use your phone to make phone calls and to occasionally check your messages but your eyes should not be glued to your phone. This behavior can close off people who want your attention as well as missing out on memorable activities.

Smartphone addiction can sour real-life experiences that you will cherish. For example, going on dating apps can lead to short-term hookups instead of long-term relationships. You would be denied face to face interactions where you can rely on a person’s body language or be able to see their smile. You would not be able to do that on your phone and because you cannot hear that person’s voice, it may be easy to misinterpret what someone is saying if someone is being sarcastic or joking around.

How Nomophobia Affects Your Life

Compulsive web surfing, watching videos, playing games, and checking your news feed will affect your work and school performance. You will not want to take up any non-virtual hobbies or want to meet your friends anywhere if you feel you can just communicate with them through your phone. Internet porn and sexting can ruin the real-life relationships you have with your significant other as they will feel like what they offer you is not good enough if you keep looking at your phone of the messages others send you. Having an identity on your phone is easy as you can be anonymous and not have to worry about being judged for what you post if no one knows who you are. This can help you easily forget who you are in the real world.

Activities like online gambling, gaming, stock trading, online shopping, and bidding on eBay can cause financial restraints. You can do reckless things like waking up at strange hours for the last minutes of an eBay auction or purchase what you do not need or cannot afford to win a bid.

How Smartphones Affect Your Life

Smartphone addiction can also to harm to your mental health as you can develop anxiety, depression, and isolation from caring too much of what others thinking online. Many people feel depressed when they look at their social media feeds and see everyone always having a good time and getting to where they want to be in their lives. It is important to remember that on social media, people choose what they want people to know about them and may only show the good. They can be having a rough time as well and not tell anyone.

Posting endless selfies and your every thought can also cause you to develop an ego. You may like the rush on the likes and comments you get for your posts and do not want that feeling to go away.

Is Treatment Available?

Luckily, smartphone addiction can be treated just like any other addiction. You should first recognize what triggers you to look at your phone. Maybe you look because you are bored and feel like no one will pay attention to you. You might also feel lonely having trouble making friends that you feel like you will make more friends to strangers online. However, you can also make the time to pay a visit to some friends and family as you cannot hug, cheer someone up if they are sick, or celebrate a happy occasion if you are always online. If you have trouble making friends, you can find them anywhere such as at work, sports team, book club, class, or volunteering.

Schedule certain times to be on your phone and vow to not be on it for 15 minutes at a time and then change it to 30 minutes until you reach an hour. You can also go on your phone as a way of rewarding yourself for finishing your homework or chores.

Pick appropriate moments to be on your phone and turn it off when it is not appropriate such as when you are driving, eating dinner, with your kids, or in the bathroom. Fill your time with more practical activities that can ease your mental health like meditating, reading a book, or chatting with your friends in person.

You should also delete Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any other social media apps so that you can only look on your computer. Or you can disable notifications off your phone so you can check on your own time. You should experience as much as you can of the world by starting by getting into addiction treatment.

Get Treatment at Bayview

Smartphone addiction is not the only addiction that Americans can have. There are a variety of addictions in the United States, and at Bayview, we treat several of them, such as: